Category Archives: Downtown Seattle

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, there’s no better time to celebrate the beauty and depth of the Irish culture, and Seattle Center’s Festal is gearing up to do just that!

Head to Seattle Center on Saturday, March 17th and Sunday, March 18th and find a serious taste of the Emerald Isle right here in the heart of in the Emerald City. Festal’s Irish Festival will bring to life a multifaceted, in-depth adventure through Ireland, its history and traditions, no passport necessary.

Enjoy a fun and fascinating exploration of Irish cultural heritage, past and present, through visual arts, live performance, games, activities, and of course, food! Explore the market place featuring Irish handicrafts, live Irish music and that famous and oh-so-impressive Irish step dancing.

Do you have the luck of the Irish? Find out by tracing your own roots in geology workshops (yes! That’s at the festival!), and learn a bit of the Celtic language while you’re at it. The festival also promises Irish movies and short films, cultural exhibits and live demonstrations and maybe even a few Irish celebrities!

Festal is a series of multi-cultural events presented by and at the Seattle Center each year. Now in its 21st year, Festal continues to shine a light on the beauty and majesty of cultures across the globe by showcasing their rich and complex traditions, histories, art, music, dance, food and much more. Festal’s Irish Festival is presented in partnership with the Irish Heritage Club of Seattle.

Whether you’re looking to learn more about your own heritage, wanting to learn more about Ireland and its culture in general, or you’re simply tired of leprechauns and green beer and looking for a more authentic experience, Festal’s Irish Festival is sure to be a fun and fabulous way to spend your St. Patty’s Day weekend.

The music has started, the decorations are going up, and each night, another house is lit up in the most festive of colors. If you ARE ready for some good ol’ fashioned Holiday cheer (so, basically unless you’re Scrooge?), head down to the Nordic Heritage Museum’s Annual Yulefest this Saturday and Sunday, November 18th and 19th!

Yulefest features all things Scandinavian and all things holiday, making it the perfect event to get in that ’God Jul’ (Merry Christmas) spirit!

Enjoy traditional Nordic-inspired items from many different vendors, plenty of delicious Scandinavian sweet and savory treats at the Nordic Cafe (even get some to go for later!) and traditional and contemporary Nordic music and dance will be performed on three different stages.

Kids are encouraged to have fun and get crafty with plenty of kid-oriented crafts, a raffle and the opportunity to meet the man we all want a visit from in December, Santa Claus (or, Julenissen in Norwegian, Jultomten in Swedish)!

Grown-ups are also encouraged to have plenty of fun and toast the season in the Valhalla Beer Garden (which will be nice and toasty warm!) with a tasty beverage including the Nordic-fav hot mulled wine, glögg. Skål (cheers!) to that!

Yulefest is a wonderful celebration of culture, the holidays and community. If you’re ready for some serious holiday spirit, good food, fun music and maybe even some holiday shopping, Yulefest is the place to be!

We Ballardites know that we’re lucky enough to live in the BEST neighborhood in Seattle, right? Well, now’s our chance to let the whole city know!

The 2016 Curbed Cup is up for grabs and it’s down to us, Vs Columbia City. That’s right, we have made it all the way to the final round!

Now, it’s time to bring it home. With 5 (yes, F-I-V-E) days to vote for Ballard, and a community of crazy-proud inhabitants, it would be a cinch to take the title. That is, THE title, the whole shebang, The Curbed Cup.

Head over to Curbed Seattle to cast your vote (or click here and skip the extra typing) for our ‘hood before midnight tonight for it to count.

And don’t just stop there, share the link with your friends! Text, them, email them, bribe them into casting their vote, whatever you have to do, get others to join so we can come out on top!

The title is within our grasp, so close we can taste it, let’s not let it slip away! We all know Ballard is where it’s at, let’s make sure everyone else does too!

If you’ve never done it before, the Christmas Ships are a Northwest tradition worth checking out!

The Argosy Cruise Christmas Ship Festival is an annual Pacific Northwest tradition, going strong since 1949. Each year, the Argosy Christmas Ship, adorned with twinkle lights and Holiday cheer, sets sail from a different port around the greater Seattle area. On board the Christmas Ship, a local choir serenades passengers with a 20-minute performance of beloved Christmas Carols.

The Carols are broadcast to the entire community through a state of the art speaker system, so if you can’t be on the ship, you can still enjoy the Christmas magic from a distance. Folks from all around the neighborhood gather on the shore to behold the glimmering lights of the beautifully decorated ship and to hear the Carols being sung on board. It’s a great opportunity for a bonfire and mug of cocoa with the kids!

There are multiple opportunities to see or be a part of the Christmas Ship, at over 65 different waterfront locations in the greater Seattle area. Each Lead Boat has tons of fun going on board, like

* Choir performance on board

* Santa Claus reading of “Twas the Night Before Christmas”

* Ho, Ho, Ho Contest and other holiday activities

* Holiday Gift Shop on board

* Kids holiday craft area and activities

* Full-service bar and snacks available for purchase

Argosy generously donates a portion of all tickets sold to the Seattle Time’s Fund For The Needy, so your purchase of a ticket goes to help those in need, right here at home.

The Christmas Ships Festival is a beloved tradition around here for a reason. Be sure to experience it for yourself this year!

Time to lace up those running shoes and sign up for the annual Hot Chocolate 15/5k run! This fun and festive event will be held on Sunday, March 6th and is fun for seasoned runners and first-timers who aren’t afraid of a challenge!

The 5k begins bright and early at 6:45a.m. and the 15k starts at 7:55a.m. Participants can expect a fun, well organized and challenging race through the heart of beautiful Downtown Seattle (hills and all!), a fabulous SWAG bag to take home and, of course, delicious chocolate!

If you’re looking for a fun way to spend your Sunday while getting a great workout, consider signing up for this once-a-year event. The challenge is worth it to get to the Post Race Party where runners will enjoy music, a family friendly environment and a ‘finisher’s mug’ filled with hot chocolate, chocolate fondue and delightfully dippable treats. Don’t sweat the calories, you will have earned this chocolate indulgence!

The Hot Chocolate Run isn’t just a great way to spend a day off. The Hot Chocolate Run is partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities, helping to provide a home-away-from-home for children and the families of children being treated at Seattle Children’s’ Hospital, at little to no cost to the families. A portion of the proceeds from signing up for this race will go to this outstanding cause, helping to make a real difference in our community.

Not ready to lace up and race? That’s fine! But be aware, this race will take place in Downtown Seattle and along many main roads and thoroughfares, so you will want to plan ahead for any travel on that day. Take a look at the map (above) to see the route and read the chart below for a street closure timeline, to help you plan your day.

In a city as beautiful as Seattle, it’s easy to forget some ugly truths that linger beneath the surface.

A local group calling themselves “Safe Seattle” is having a meeting tonight, bringing to the forefront the growing public safety issues facing the city and calling the city’s inhabitants to action.

This meeting was organized by Cindy Pierce, a resident of Magnolia, to shine a light on and address the growing problem of drug dealing and use, theft, illegal encampments and other public safety problems that are increasingly impacting residents and business owners in various areas of the city such as Ballard, Queen Anne and Magnolia, to name a few. The goal of the meeting is to bring together residents of the community to talk about and demand action in regards to these issues, which, some say are reaching crisis level.

The meeting is expected to earn a potentially big turnout, due in large part to the response it’s had on social media. The meeting will include representatives from city hall and people from different neighborhoods throughout the city speaking on the issue.

The meeting will be held tonight, January 6th, from 6:30-8:30 PM at United Church of Christ in Magnolia 3555 W McGraw St.

This Thursday June 27th the city of Seattle and Sound Transit will hold an open house to discuss the possibility of an extension of the light rail system to Ballard. So far they have narrowed down the list from over two hundred suggested routes in March to now just eight. Sound Transit will provide detailed maps and other information on these routes but are also looking to hear what the public has to say.

Because Ballard has become one of the more popular neighborhoods in Seattle, providing a reliable transit system that connects it to downtown is essential. If you are interested in learning more about this event you can visit the Sound Transit website at SoundTransit.org.

The month of December is filled with Holiday activities around the city of Seattle, and an all time favorite for many Seattleites includes the Argosy Christmas Ship Festival. It’s been a holiday traditional celebration in the Pacific Northwest since 1949, and every year from November 24th through December 23rd the Argosy Christmas Ship sets it’s sails around the Sound to various waterfront communities including Gasworks Park, Pier 55, Alki Beach Park, Shilshoe, Laurelhurst Beach Club among many many others (45 to be exact).

The ship has different choirs performing, brightening the festivities for patrons on board. A nice addition to the Christmas ship experience is that on shore along the different water front community stops, locals gather around singing carols and anticipating the arrival of the ships, welcoming those getting off, and either hopping aboard the ship, or one of the parade ships that follow. Those who have their own boats can decorate theirs with lights and join in the line of as one of the largest holiday floating parades in the world! The schedule this week includes two value nights on Tuesday and Wednesday, ($10 knocked off the standard $35 per person price) with choirs such as the Dickens Carolers, Rainier Youth Choir, and the Federal Way Harmony Kings. You won’t want to miss out on this wonderful NW Christmas tradition, for more information on the Christmas Ship Festival and schedule, visit their website today.

After the South Lake Union streetcar line opened to the public in 2007, the street cars have been running with few people on board, with more empty cars than not. Last year the City of Seattle approved a car tab fee that would designate money for more street car routes, which would hopefully generate more passengers and this year, according to the Seattle Times, the first line has attracted around 2,750 passengers per week. Another line is currently being constructed in First Hill, and the reality of having numerous street car routes throughout the city and suburbs is slowly becoming a reality.

In the next three years, the city of Seattle could be spending as much as $10 Million on studying and designing routes, if Mayor McGinn follows suit with budget proposals approved last Friday. Four routes will be in the works including Ballard, Eastlake, Downtown and North Broadway, all neighborhoods that had running lines before the system was abandoned in 1941. For more information and updates on the streetcar system, visit the City of Seattle.

With Halloween right around the corner, Seattle restaurants are taking advantage of the festive scary scenery, and rewarding cladly dressed Seattleites with specials on food and drink around town, from now until October 31st. Check out the list of establishments who actually prefer if you’re dining in Zombie attire than suit and tie this week.

Boka will be offering happy hour prices on all food and drink items to all diners dressed in Zombie attire this Saturday October 27th! Zombie diners are also encouraged to head over to the Thrill the World dance off in Occidental Park to break the record for biggest “Thriller” performance.

Belltown Pub will be hosting a Dracula PJ party with Halloween food and drink available, and no cover charge from 9-close on October 27th.

Linda’s Tavern is having a 50’s themed Halloween mixer on October 31st, with guest DJ King Dude. Party begins from 8pm-close, with free entry. Costumes strongly suggested.

Cupcake Royale Place your order of 12 or more cupcakes on or before October 30th for your big Halloween party, and receive a free pint of Cupcake Royale ice cream.

Cafe Flora will host a pumpkin decorating event on Saturday from 10am-2pm in Washington Park, perfect for your little ones. Pumpkin bread, pancakes and spiced cider will be on hand to snack on during the festivities. Costumes are welcome!

BALLARD IN A NUTSHELL

Ballard is a Seattle neighborhood located northwest of downtown. Ballard is known for its nordic and maritime roots and is home to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. Today the area is a popular living location with hip restaurants and a thriving condominium community.